AU Health is the first acute care center in the U.S. to offer breakthrough dysphagia treatment

Augusta University Health’s Stroke Center was the first in Georgia to be designated as an Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center a decade ago, and it is making history again as the first acute care medical center in the country to offer an innovative treatment for patients with dysphagia.

Dysphagia is the medical term for difficulty or inability to swallow affecting the quality of life for millions of stroke patients worldwide. Patients who experience dysphagia may be unable to manage their own saliva and may not be able to safely or efficiently eat or drink, placing them at high risk of complications, especially in the acute stages post stroke.

Phagenyx™ from Phagenesis Ltd. offers a safe, non-surgical treatment option that not only reduces the risk of dysphagia related complications but may also reduce the length of time a stroke patient spends in the hospital.

This innovative technology uses Pharyngeal Electrical Stimulation (PES), a form of neurostimulation, to induce and accelerate neuroplastic changes in the brain and restore swallowing control. The device is inserted into the nose, through the pharynx (throat), and down the esophagus to the stomach. Small amounts of stimulation applied to the pharynx has been proven to improve swallowing function. The Phagenyx Catheter may also be used for feeding, if required.

Read more here.